


An Interview with Wendy Shon

by TinAndra



Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band)
Genre: Because I want that for her more than anything, Because of Reasons, F/F, Future Fic, Gen, Journalism, Wendy's solo career
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:41:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26857615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinAndra/pseuds/TinAndra
Summary: Part 2 of the Song series: The Sweetest Little Song.Finale: New York, 2024.
Relationships: Bae Joohyun | Irene/Son Seungwan | Wendy
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	An Interview with Wendy Shon

This is the epilogue of the second story in the _Song_ series, _The Sweetest Little Song_. Read the full story on AsFF [HERE](https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1421753/the-sweetest-little-song).

**An Interview with Wendy**

Name : _Consequence of Sound_

Release Date : Aug 10, 2024

Person : Dan Shellenberger [contact attached]

_By the time this article is published, Wendy Shon would have been back in South Korea for her band Red Velvet’s 10_ _th_ _anniversary. The Academy Award-nominated singer—the first Korean to do so—has been busy throughout the year, and similarly there are only a few places you can go where you don’t hear the fifteen seconds note she holds in_ Ariadne _, the Sia-written soundtrack Wendy sang for Christopher Nolan’s movie_ Antarctica _. “My throat hurts trying to do even half of it,”_ Consequence of Sound _editor-in-chief Kurt Coltrane said in one of our office outings._

_An eclectic mélange of talent, studious hard work, and endless positivity, Wendy is known for being a member of a band who never sticks to a single genre. She has won many accolades and collaborated with Western artists such as John Legend, Ellie Goulding, Lauren Mayberry of Chvrches, and Death Cab for Cutie’s frontman Ben Gibbard._

_Leading up to the encore of MTV Network’s five-episode reality show_ Busk A Move _, Wendy sat down with Dan Shellenberger for the latest installment of our_ Conversations with Consequence _series. A soft-spoken lady (“She just never swears,” said_ Busk A Move _and label mate NCT 127’s Johnny), Wendy interpolated heady ideas in a thoughtful demeanor and charm, speaking about the professional and philosophical concerns at the heart of her works and the nature of human connections along the way._

_On going back to New York._

Since working on _Ariadne_ last fall, I’ve spent quite some time here. [I’ve always loved winter best](https://twitter.com/vitaminyeri/status/1236815024552841216), but even growing up in Toronto doesn’t prepare me for New York winter. There’s something magnificent about the city of bright lights blanketed in white, I guess. People bundling up, people caroling on the streets, the fairy lights on nearly every store window, and the fog, my god. The fog. Beautiful, just beautiful.

Right now I relate so much to that Regina Spektor’s song. “[Summer in the city, regret, regret, regret.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyTbeJNY_HA)” [sings] With the year going into summer, I realize I’m regretting some things I haven’t been able to do, and I have so many of them. I also wish I have done the things I haven’t done and have done some of them differently, told people things I couldn’t before, treasured my beloved more. In terms of the encore episode, I see how hard the production team’s been working, so to hear that we’re invited to record an encore in New York is just [pauses] bravo. Chef’s kiss. No regret.

_On participating in_ Busk A Move _._

Don’t tell me you heard about the encore episode first from Alexandra (Patsavas, _Busk A Move_ music supervisor). Well, the truth is we were in her house [celebrating the end of the schedule](https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1421753/10/five-toronto). Nobody thought there would be any more episode after Toronto, so a lot of us had already planned to see our family or significant other. Then suddenly Moira (Byrne, _Busk A Move_ executive producer) just grabbed a mic and made the announcement. Like, “Guys, listen! We’ve got New York!” And the whole room just went silent. Ah, it was so funny. Chrissy Teigen, who was beside me at the time, was the first to congratulate me, but really, everyone in that room deserved it.

_On working outside Korea._

I don’t think this is the longest time I’m working outside Korea. [asks her manager] Red Velvet has had a North American tour a couple of times. Or maybe this is longer? I’m not sure. [laughs] Rather than saying touring without my bandmates, I’d say I’m representing them. And I met them during this tour, although not all at once. Some of them even met my family. I like the idea that all of us are growing not in spite of Red Velvet, but because of Red Velvet. The Wendy who is singing in _Busk A Move_ is also the Wendy who is singing by herself for the Academy Award’s amazing audience last year, is also the Wendy whom Red Velvet fans have known since 2014.

People see some elements of studio works as too technical or boring, at least compared to touring. I like going to the studio to record and rerecord and rerecord, and I also like going with the mood of the audience you find only in busking. In the studio, I depend on my bandmates a lot. In live concerts, I get energy from the audience. Key to the difference in the atmosphere is how you can channel it into a satisfying performance. I oscillate between, and I’m still learning by doing when it comes to balancing them.

As for my favorite moment of the tour, I’m totally partial about this, but it’s the Toronto episode.

  
  


“ _Sunshine Shon,” one of the many nicknames given by her fans, turned wistful_ _at the mention of her adopted hometown. She recalled a few episodes of growing up in Toronto, her jazz-loving family, and her bandmates. Since debuting in 2014, Red Velvet has undergone a member change a few times, going from a four-membered group to five and back to four again. As the main vocalist, Wendy serves as the pillar_ _of the band’s soundscapes. Other members have ventured out to composing and acting, but_ _they kept in touch and checked on each other regularly. Most recently, bandmate Seulgi danced in the Korean music video version of_ Ariadne _._

_On spending her formative years in the States and Canada and finally coming back._

Not “finally.” It’s a mutualism. I came to Korea after learning so much in the US and Canada, and I came to the US bringing what I have learned in Korea. I think that’s my biggest blessing. There are so many people who have taught me, from whom I’ve learned and still do, whose presence in my life helps shape me into who I am today. For that I am forever, forever grateful.

_On embarking on a solo career._

In Red Velvet, whenever we have a show we draw a lot to decide on the order of leaving to get our hair and make up done. Because my luck is rotten, I often have to wake up three hours before the rest. There’s no such thing for a soloist. Lately in our group chat I’ve been saying, ‘Morning-do before 7 AM? What’s that?’ [laughs] In all seriousness, though, I love that I get the opportunity to try new things, be it voice acting, singing, or doing theater work, before going back to my nest.

_On Red Velvet being known as the chameleon of K-pop._

And that’s on periodt! [laughs] Oh my, that expression is five years too late, isn’t it? I sound like a proud mom, don’t I?

Well, we get a lot of help from the people at SM (her agency and label), our seniors who always support us, and our family. In the music scene, there are also other artists who have come before us and paved the way. There’s no such thing as one artist alone helps distinguish K-pop from other genres all over the globe. That will be ahistorical. Everyone chips in. But you’re also right in that Red Velvet takes pride in taking on challenges. It’s fun to work across genres. It doesn’t always work out the way we want it to be, but there’s always a lesson that comes with it. I just hope that my vocal cords will keep tolerating me for a long time. [laughs]

And no, I'm not the face of Red Velvet. I'm not.

_One of the photos that_ Consequence _took of Wendy for this interview was a candid one, and before the camera shutter clicked she was just fixing her hair tie as she looked out the window of the cafe we were in. Maybe she was thinking of how artists fare in New York. Maybe she was thinking of Seoul and its people—her “nest.” Surprisingly, the editorial team liked the candid picture best. When_ Consequence _called to ask if we could use the picture, considering that she looked more pensive and less her sunshiny persona in it, Wendy said, “It’s okay. I too get sad sometimes.”_

_The encore episode of_ Busk A Move _is recorded on Aug 4 in Central Park. Wendy’s outfit is by Yohji Yamamoto. Photos are by Bess McCallahan. Dan Shellenberger and_ Consequence of Sound _thank MTV Network, SBS-MTV, and Republic Records for the interview opportunity._

Artists : WENDY

Tags : WENDY, RED VELVET, MTV BUSK A MOVE, K-POP, KOREA

Categories : MUSIC DISCOVERY, CONVERSATIONS WITH CONSEQUENCE, INTERVIEWS  
  
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